Azerbaijan backs TRNC recognition bid, strengthening diplomatic bonds ARTICLE BY SPECIAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT ERSIN TATAR

The Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah has published an article by Hüseyin Işıksal, Special Adviser of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Presidency on International Relations and Diplomacy, focusing on relations between Azerbaijan and the TRNC. Caliber.Az reprints the piece.

Türkiye, Azerbaijan and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are "one nation, three states," where the special bonds of unity and shared heritage cannot be broken. The most recent demonstration of this enduring connection was witnessed at the 7th ADA University Policy Forum “Facing the New World Order” on April 9, 2025, in Baku.

During the event, moderated by Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the president of Azerbaijan, I had the opportunity to pose a question to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The president’s response turned into a historic statement that passed not only on to literature regarding the Azerbaijan-TRNC relations, but also, once again, conquered the hearts of Turkish Cypriots.

Referring to President Aliyev's official reception for TRNC President Ersin Tatar and his delegation in October 2023, where I attended as the special advisor of President Tatar, I first conveyed to him the warmest greetings of Tatar. Then, speaking sincerely and without a political agenda, I remarked that I felt truly at home in Azerbaijan and I asked: “How can we further develop relations between the TRNC and Azerbaijan?” President Aliyev’s historic response needed no further elaboration to this direct question.

In summary, he said: “As you know, Azerbaijan played an important role in the TRNC becoming an observer member of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). You know better than I how this happened. I invited President Tatar to the OTS informal summit of heads of state, held in Shusha, and he was present with us, flying the TRNC flag. As you are aware, the government, parliament and representatives of various civil society groups from Azerbaijan frequently visit the TRNC, and vice versa. We are always on the side of our brothers. Our policies are always very clear, precise and understandable. We have no agenda other than how we can help our brothers in the TRNC, who deserve to have their own state. You should not doubt that Azerbaijan will be with you until the end, when the TRNC is recognized by the international community.”

History of our brotherhood
Although both countries share common ethnic, religious, cultural, and historical roots, relations between Azerbaijan and the TRNC gained momentum only after the end of the Cold War. It is noted that the Soviet Union’s pro-Greek Cypriot stance had played a key role in keeping the two sides at a distance during that earlier period.

When Azerbaijan declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic officially recognized the state of the TRNC in 1992. The important detail here is that the chairperson of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic at that time was the national leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev.

Another turning point came in 2004, when President Ilham Aliyev, during an official visit to Ankara, declared that if the TRNC voted "yes" and the Greek Cypriot side voted "no" in the U.N. Annan Plan simultaneous referendums, Azerbaijan would lead the way in recognising the TRNC.

Parallel to these developments, Azerbaijan announced in 2005 that it would recognize TRNC passports and sent official representatives to the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day celebrations. A week later, a plane carrying over a hundred Azerbaijani statesmen and businesspeople made a direct flight from Baku to Ercan, marking the first direct flight from a country other than Türkiye to the TRNC. Immediately after this, Cyprus Turkish Airlines established a direct flight to Baku in August 2005, which was recorded in history as the first direct flight from the TRNC to a country other than Türkiye.

In 2012, the Heydar Aliyev International Cultural Centre was established in Alsancak-Girne. Since then, it has hosted over 300 cultural events and regularly welcomed ministers and members of Parliament from Azerbaijan, alongside senior TRNC officials.

The natural culmination of these deepening ties between the two states was the historic visit of Tatar to Baku in October 2023, where President Aliyev officially received him with full state honours. Following the meeting of the two presidents at the Zagulba Palace, President Aliyev once again delivered a strong message to the international community: “The TRNC flag is flying and will always fly in Azerbaijan.”

Similarly, the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Culture and Promotion Days” event was held for the first time in Baku during this visit. TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, Deputy Prime Minister Kudret Özersay and Tourism, Culture, Youth and Environment Minister Fikri Ataoğlu attended the event along with representatives from universities, companies, trade unions and civil society.

In 2024, another historical turning point was accomplished in the relations of the two states with the establishment of the Friendship Group between the Azerbaijan National Assembly and the TRNC Republican Assembly under the chairmanship of Javanşir Feyziyev on April 5, 2024.

Tatar was also invited and welcomed by President Aliyev to the unofficial OTS summit held in Shusha on July 6, 2024, and was once again hosted with state protocol, alongside the other Heads of State. There, President Aliyev said: “We have fulfilled the requirements of our true brotherhood. I believe that President Ersin Tatar’s participation in the Shusha Summit is an important step toward the recognition of the TRNC. We will always stand by our Cypriot brothers.”

New targets to achieve
Azerbaijan and the TRNC are two brotherly countries with people of the same origin, sharing a common language, religion, culture and history. The gradual development of their relations is natural, expected and necessary. In addition to the principle of “one nation, three states”, which is based on these unbreakable bonds, common threats and interests clearly distinguish this unity from other temporary alliances.

In addition, President Aliyev is fully aware of the power of Azerbaijan, which has utilized all the tools of diplomacy. The president knows how to engage with European Union countries and confront them when necessary circumstances arise, particularly when they employ double standards. Also, as the rising power in the Turkic world and the region that effectively continues its fight against Turkophobia, Islamophobia and neo-colonialism, Azerbaijan’s relations with the TRNC differ from those of the other OTS members.

Based on these facts, the next ideal step is the establishment of an Azerbaijani diplomatic office in the TRNC, which could facilitate and organize even deeper relations in tourism, education and trade between the two countries. The strengthening of our brotherhood and the bridge we have established from the Eastern Mediterranean to Anatolia and from there to the Caucasus and the Caspian will undoubtedly have a profound impact on all the political balances of the 21st century. 

By Aghakazim Guliyev